Alex, the teenager who is the protagonist in this movie, navigates his way through his days more often by reacting rather than acting. Only a couple of times do we see him really engaged, once when listening to music while driving and again when he listens to a newscast that has great relevance to him. With Alex being so visibly emotionless, and the minimalist approach taken overall, it is surprising that I felt I got to know him fairly well.
At fist I was put off by the pacing, like a long take simply following Alex as he walks along a path near the beach. But you can tell a lot about someone by the way they dress and how they walk. After relaxing and letting the story unfold at its own pace I came to appreciate the dreamlike mood created.
The story is told in a non-linear fashion that is initially a bit confusing, but a whole does emerge. The plot rests on a remarkably few pivot points and by the end I was surprised by how much had happened when it seemed like nothing had happened.
The teens in this film seem real; I think Van Sant understands how teens actually talk to each other and interact. After a rash of movies portraying teens as sex obsessed it is good to see a teen who is ambivalent in his approach to this topic.
Music plays a significant role, not only to establish mood, but to add commentary. For example, in one scene that has Alex walking down a high school hallway in slow motion (a scene that lasts well over a minute) Elliot Smith is singing the song "The White Lady Loves You More" which contains the lyric, "I'm lookin' at a hand full of broken plans and I'm tired of playing it down." This could well apply to Alex as he tries to deal with his parent's divorce, a tragic accident and death, sexual pressures, and boring classes. Alex's approach to his problems is the first response of most teens, or perhaps most everybody--avoidance and escape.
The skateboard park that Alex is attracted to ("I could sit all day and watch") is key to his personality--he is more of an observer than a participant.
I can see how some would find this movie pretentious and obtuse (Van Sant certainly does not hit you over the head with whatever it is he is trying to express), but it is a unique piece of work worth consideration.
At fist I was put off by the pacing, like a long take simply following Alex as he walks along a path near the beach. But you can tell a lot about someone by the way they dress and how they walk. After relaxing and letting the story unfold at its own pace I came to appreciate the dreamlike mood created.
The story is told in a non-linear fashion that is initially a bit confusing, but a whole does emerge. The plot rests on a remarkably few pivot points and by the end I was surprised by how much had happened when it seemed like nothing had happened.
The teens in this film seem real; I think Van Sant understands how teens actually talk to each other and interact. After a rash of movies portraying teens as sex obsessed it is good to see a teen who is ambivalent in his approach to this topic.
Music plays a significant role, not only to establish mood, but to add commentary. For example, in one scene that has Alex walking down a high school hallway in slow motion (a scene that lasts well over a minute) Elliot Smith is singing the song "The White Lady Loves You More" which contains the lyric, "I'm lookin' at a hand full of broken plans and I'm tired of playing it down." This could well apply to Alex as he tries to deal with his parent's divorce, a tragic accident and death, sexual pressures, and boring classes. Alex's approach to his problems is the first response of most teens, or perhaps most everybody--avoidance and escape.
The skateboard park that Alex is attracted to ("I could sit all day and watch") is key to his personality--he is more of an observer than a participant.
I can see how some would find this movie pretentious and obtuse (Van Sant certainly does not hit you over the head with whatever it is he is trying to express), but it is a unique piece of work worth consideration.